Fitting Remarks: Tips for Post-Marathon Recovery

Hi all, how's your Friday night going? We are just chilling at home and catching up on some TV.

Not sure if you've noticed, but I haven't written much in terms of weekly recaps, but that's because I haven't really been working out that much. I'd like to say that I'm still recovering- both physically and mentally, but I have really just been lazy. However, I think I deserve a little laziness for a little bit!

I took a week and a half off of running, which is more than I have usually taken post-marathon. I think this marathon was harder on my quads, and I know that it was definitely harder on my morale. I needed some time away from the pounding of the pavement before feeling ready to get back at it.

The week after the marathon:
Monday: absolutely nothing.
Tuesday: absolutely nothing. Got a massage
Wednesday: Pilates Pro-Works 1 hour class
Thursday: C2 vinyasa class at Corepower with Dustin. We were supposed to run the TC 1 mile, but it was cancelled due to the weather (a torrential downpour). It was probably for the best, as I am not sure I would have been ready to run hard.
Friday: absolutely nothing
Saturday: TRX class in NOLA!
Sunday/Mon- absolutely nothing- Recovering from food poisoning....
Tuesday: 1 hour barre class at Balanced Barre The instructor was Jana, and she was great!
Wednesday: Ran 4 miles with Matilda (dinner at Bar La Grassa for Kelly's birthday!)
Thursday: absolutely nothing (work dinner at Rojo)
Friday: 1 hour barre class at Balanced Barre 

I talk a lot about training for a marathon on the blog, but what's it like post-marathon? What should you expect after the finish line is behind you?

Post race at the Flying Pig marathon

• Soreness! Expect to be sore, for at least a day or two. I have an acquaintance who said she wasn't sore at all after the marathon (sorry, I call bullish*t!) Even after my 16th one, I am still sore afterwards. My recovery from the 20-22 milers during training is minimal, but something about that extra 4 miles of the actual marathon makes my legs really sore. But hey, everyone's body is different, so maybe you won't be that sore. Or maybe, you will be really sore (a little more likely), and barely able to walk down stairs! My suggestion in that case is to walk backwards down the stairs. Take the elevator as much as possible. I went with "sideways" down the stairs this time, as my quads were very sore after Flying Pig.
• Depressed... Post marathon depression is a real thing! Even if you had a great race and achieved your goal, you might still experience a little sadness that the whole experience is over, and you might feel a little lost. This is normal. You worked so hard to get to that marathon, and now its over...its a little bit of a letdown. Don't worry, that feeling will pass.
• Still hungry. It takes a little while for your body to adjust after the massive calorie burn of the marathon. Allow yourself a few indulgences, but don't go overboard.
• Tired...Well, this one is obvious. Your body went through a lot, and it takes time for it to recover. Sleep. Sleep. Sleep. 

Here are some tips to help with the physical and mental recovery.

• Get a massage! I got one on Tuesday after the marathon, and I think it really helped with the recovery. It was so relaxing and it felt great.
• Take a yoga class. Dustin and I did this last Thursday night, and it helped physically and mentally with my recovery. 
• Reconnect Take some time to reconnect with friends or family that you might have neglected a little bit during your training. Plan a coffee date or a walk with a non-runner friend. Grab a cocktail at a happy hour, without stressing about how it will affect your run the next morning.
• Get some sleep. Take a Saturday morning to sleep in! It has probably been awhile since you slept in, right?
• Plan your next goal race! If you achieved your goal at this marathon, congrats!  You're probably pumped and want to keep the momentum going. Or, if you're like me, and you were pretty disappointed, time to move on to the next one. I think its important to take some time to reflect on what went well in your training and your race, and think about what you'll do differently next time. And then schedule your next race! (My next marathon is the Outer Banks marathon in North Carolina. )
• Ease back into it. Listen to your body, and start running again when you really feel ready.

Remember- you finished a marathon, and should feel very proud of yourself. But give yourself some time to truly recover. I know there are plenty of runners out there who are able to bounce right back, but those people are not the norm...Just enjoy this time, and relax. You've earned it!

Okay I just have to share this picture from Flying Pig...great picture right? But who is that guy on the right?

Fits Do Race Reviews: The Flying Pig Marathon 2014

When I have an upcoming marathons, I spend a lot of time reading reviews on www.MarathonGuide.com. I also search around for other blogger's reviews to read. I eat up all that information, as I really value all the details that other runners share about the marathon weekend, as well as where to eat, where to stay, and what to do while in town for a marathon.

With that said, I apologize in advance that my reviews are always pretty long, but I want to make sure they are as useful as possible for others who are actually doing the race!

I am also going to try to make sure my review isn't negatively affected by my poor personal performance at the marathon (4:11 when I trained all winter for a 3:45). I'll try my best to keep this review unbiased.

Overall, I thought the Flying Pig Marathon was a stellar marathon; it was just a challenging course and a bad personal day for me. I still recommend this marathon!

The Expo:
The expo was held on Friday and Saturday at the Millennium Hotel ballroom and the Duke Energy Convention Center.

The Flying Pig Marathon is always held on the first Sunday in May.

This was the first year that the expo was split into two locations. It wasn't a big deal for us, as we were actually staying right at the Millennium Hotel, and the Duke Center was right across the street. The runner packet pickup was the only thing held at the hotel, with the rest of the expo (and t-shirt pickup) at the convention center.

We went to the expo on Friday, and I'm glad we did, because it was already pretty crowded and busy. I'm sure it was even crazier on Saturday.

I had read some complaints that other people did not like that you had to walk through the entire expo to get to the t-shirt pickup, but I didn't mind this. I thought that it made the expo flow really well, as you were sort of guided along a path through all the vendors, and you never were worried that you might have missed a row. If you were entirely uninterested in checking out the vendors, you could zip through the expo right to the shirts; Yet we took our time, and pursued the goods slowly.

There was an expansive section of official Flying Pig gear, of which I ended up buying a BANDI headband and an Asics tank top...oh, and maybe I threw in a few can cozies!

Each runner received a boxed poster and a commemorative waterproof bag, in addition to the finisher's shirt (and awesome medal, which I'll share later).

Waterproof bag- gift for all runners

The finisher's shirt was a little boring. It was white with lots of sponsors listed, and there was only one word on the back that differentiated the relay runners and the half marathon runners from the full marathon runners. I think the full marathon runners should get a little extra recognition, don't you?

I did think the "Pigcasso" theme was cute.

Overall, this was a really nice and organized expo. We didn't have to wait a long time like we did at the Berlin Expo, and there was a lot of fun stuff to see- even a few real pigs from the zoo!

The whole weekend might have been a little over-the-top with the Flying Pig theme, 

but I thought it was really cute.

Where to eat: 
After the expo, we had a really awesome dinner at a wood-fire pizza place called "A Travola" in the OTR (Over-the-Rhine) neighborhood. So, so good...perfect place to eat before the race, or to celebrate after the race!

What to Do While You're in Cincinnati:
Saturday, we were up relatively early to grab some breakfast, and we ended up watching a bit of the 5k and 10k events that were held that day. Then we headed to the Underground Railroad Freedom Center. I had read about this museum in the New York Times, in one of their "36 Hours in..." features, which usually guide us to cool places in a new city. However, unfortunately though, this museum was a bit of a disappointment.

The admittance fee was $14. The actual building was really nice, but the museum had no real "flow" or a story to tell. It just seemed like it was put together without an overall theme. I feel like the exhibits were all over the place chronologically, yet a bit repetitive. We had chosen this instead of the Cincinnati Zoo (which is supposed to be quite nice) because we didn't want to walk around too much the day before the race, but we might have been better off at the zoo. I hope my negative review doesn't offend anyone, but I just wasn't super impressed with this museum.

I was impressed though, with the lovely Riverwalk area! We relaxed on the swings there for awhile on Saturday.

After the museum, we met my sister and her family at Panera for a simple lunch, and then we went back to the hotel to relax our legs for awhile. The rooms at the Millennium were a little small, but the location was really great, especially for the marathon. We did not need a rental car, as we only used it to get to/from the airport. We could have made due with just a cab; however, had we wanted to go to the zoo or the aquarium, a car would have been helpful. I didn't see much around though in terms of public transportation in Cincinnati.

Skipping ahead to post-marathon- another fun thing to do in Cincinnati is to head to a Cincinnati Reds game! We went to one Sunday afternoon after the marathon, and it was a nice way to enjoy the sunny day.

Marathon Pasta Dinner: 
The night before the marathon, we decided to eat at the race sponsored pasta dinner. It was held near our hotel on a plaza by the river. The meal the night before the marathon is never anything memorable; I just need some simple pasta. We knew that buying tickets to the pasta feed would offer us a simple, easy-on-the-stomach dinner, with no stress. The meal was actually pretty good. There was pasta (including gluten-free if you needed it) with vegetarian or meat sauce, a salad, bread, beverages, and some live music while we ate.

Race Day:
The marathon started at 6:30 am. I am so glad that it was an early start, as it was already 56 degrees when we headed to the start line. A temperature of 56 degrees doesn't sound too hot, but once the sun came out, it was over 70 degrees..too hot for 26.2 miles (at least for me!). From reading past marathon reviews, warm temperatures are quite common this time of year. The race organizers can't be blamed for the weather, and they did everything they could to plan ahead, with the 6:30 am start and plenty of support on the course. But I hadn't trained in the warm temps, and my body must not have liked it. (Excuses, excuses..when am I going to rise above the excuses and have a killer race?)

Start Corrals:
I must mention something unique about the corrals- the porta-potties were located in the corrals. The corrals were highly regulated by the number on your bib, fenced in and guarded so that no one could sneak into the wrong corral. Putting the bathrooms in the corrals might have seemed like a good idea, but there were just not enough of them. The lines were incredibly long. Kelly and I decided to leave our corral and found a random Porto-John at a nearly construction site instead, with a much shorter line. We barely made it back in time for the national anthem! My suggestion? Add more ports-potties, and maybe don't have them in the corrals. Once we were back in the corral, we had to push past the still-existing lines for the bathrooms!

The Marathon Course:
The race started right on time. Now, I knew that there would be a really tough hill from miles 6-9, but I didn't know that the rest of the course would include a lot of other hills. We crossed multiple bridges, and you forget that bridges are hills too! Kelly had us running around 8:35's from the start, with some extra time built in for those really hilly miles. For the first 14 miles, we stuck together. However, the challenging hills in miles 6-9 must have killed my quads...or maybe it was when I tried to push it on the downhills? Either way, I'm pretty sure I started too fast, at least for THIS course. I was walking through water stops by the halfway point, which I haven't done in a very long time. It was pretty disheartening, and I quickly lost my steam..Around mile 14, I waved Kelly away, and she was off to finish in 3:42, with a pretty amazing negative split (Man, that girl is a natural!)

Yes, it was warm, but the support on the course was quite amazing. There were people cheering for us along almost all of the course, except for a short part that ran on the highway towards the end. There were support stops EVERY mile, which was pretty awesome, especially on a hot day.

There were also people handing out oranges at multiple places, as well as cold towels, candy, and of course, beer (I didn't take any). I had heard that there was a "bacon challenge" at mile 25, where you could get an extra medal for eating three pieces of bacon, but I never saw that stop.

There were musicians and bands all along the course as well- elderly men singing barber shop songs, kids playing violins, an Elvis impersonator, and more! It was better than a Rock'n'Roll marathon!

The Finish Line:
The finish line itself wasn't that spectacular, and after I crossed it, it was a little hectic with both half marathoners still finishing, relay runners, and full marathoners trying to get their medals and make their way through the chute. However, after I made my way through that congested area, there was a lovely grassy park for us to rest our weary legs upon. The post-race goodies for runners were pretty standard- bananas, water, gatorade, Sun Chips, (and a Swiss Roll??) Each runner received a Michelob Ultra (I passed this time), and it felt like quite a party with live music and the warm sun on our shoulders.

Oh yes- the medals! They are quite nice.

They follow along with the pig theme, with a front and back of a flying pig. So cute!

Spectator Friendly Race:
My sister Emily, her husband, and their toddler were cheering for us at the race, which was awesome! We rarely have spectators these days. She said that the course was pretty spectator-friendly. She was able to get around town by using the spectator guide from the marathon website. She also said that it seemed that kids really enjoyed the "pig" theme and all the fun costumes. Apparently, some of the "party zones" also handed out free food and snacks to spectators! There was also food and snacks at the finish line for spectators as well as runners.

My personal experience...
As for my marathon?

I had already come to grips with my poor marathon time throughout the run, so by the time I crossed the finish line, I didn't think I would be too emotional about it...until I saw Dustin. Then I started to cry. Woe is me.

I know, I know...Just give me my moment to wallow. I had trained really hard over a very miserable winter. I avoided injury. I ate well. I really, really pushed myself during the training.

And for what? To run a 4:11...Unfortunately, it was a big hit to my ego. I have definitely lost my confidence. For my next marathon, I will definitely just be shooting for sub-4 hours again...

What's next? 
Well, tomorrow I am signed up to run the TC 1 Mile. This race is a lot of fun, and I usually try to push myself pretty hard, but my legs are just too sore for anything fast this week. If it weren't for this race, I would not be running this week...I plan to take next week off before getting back at it.

Next marathon? We're strongly considering the OBX (Outer Banks) Marathon in North Carolina. It is a part of the country that we have never explored, and we plan to make a vacation out of it....and hopefully I'll get back under 4 hours again.

Marathon #16: Flying Pig, Cincinnati, Ohio. Complete!

Failed Fit: I blew up...

Well, I guess the hills were too much for this flat lander. Or maybe it was the sun and 70 degree temps...But I think it was the hills, as my quads are on fire now.

Flying Pig is a really nice marathon- well-organized, GREAT crowd support, and a beautiful course....but a hilly one. Kelly left me behind (I asked her to) at mile 12-ish I think.

Unfortunately, I positive split this thing like no one's business (ran the second half WAAY slower than the first half). Ugh.

Yes, I'm very disappointed with myself. Yes, I cried a bit on Dustin's shoulder after I saw him at the finish. But I have no one to blame but myself.

Guess I train harder next time...

Two good things? No chafing at all (even from my sports bra, which is kind of the norm usually) and no bathroom stops (always a win).

Hell, I finished marathon #16. I guess I can be proud of that. Checked Ohio off the list.

Finish time...4:11:46

Ugh. I know, get over it. its not that bad...but its not what I trained for.

Fitting Remarks: A Reflection on my Training and a Goal...

My 16^th marathon, the Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati, Ohio. is a week from today.

The other day my sister asked me about the course, and I told her that this marathon is really hilly. She said, “oh, so not a PR then?”

(FYI….runner lingo- "PR" is personal record. Some people call it a “PB” or personal best, but I call it a PR)

Back to my sister's comment- "not a PR." 

Well, why not? Why not a PR? Why is everyone so afraid of hills? 

I have trained really hard. I can still PR. I will still PR. 

This is your race. 
This is your opportunity. 
Trust your training

When I reflect back on my running journal, it seems as though my training went pretty well.  I mean, I only missed one long run when we were in Utah on a ski trip, but otherwise I successfully completed every other long run over the past 18 weeks.  There were no issues, no melt-downs, and no failed long run attempts.

I ran on hills. I killed hills.

I ran tempos. I ran track workouts.

I ran multiples times on a beach vacation in Turks & Caicos, when I was tempted to just lounge… 

I ran at high altitude in Park City, Utah. 

I ran A LOT on the treadmill during this terrible winter. 

I ran in temperatures well below zero.

I ran in the snow. I ran in the sleet.  I ran in the rain.

I was healthy. I didn’t suffer any injuries.  Sure, I went to see Dr. Crabtree at Uptown Natural Care a few times for some A.R.T. and Graston on my IT band, but fortunately I stayed on top of that issue throughout the training season. 

I foam rolled, I practiced yoga, I strength trained, I barre’d, I worked my core (remember the plank challenge?)

I am ready.

Of course, there are still 7 days between now and the marathon, and a lot can happen in 7 days.

I could get injured (hopefully unlikely), I could get sick (sometimes pretty likely during the taper. A lot of runners get sick during this time).

Then there’s marathon DAY- the weather could be terrible…HOT, rainy, windy. Or maybe it just won't be my day- I have had that happen many times in the past- I trained really hard, but my hard work wasn't reflected on race day. 

But no matter what happens on May 4^th, I can look back at my training and be proud of myself.

"It's not about having the courage to finish a marathon, it’s about having the courage to begin."

"Getting this far- just getting to the starting line- is a challenge in and of itself. The marathon is merely the reward."

I have to thank my friend Kelly for training with me- we did nearly all of our long runs together, and she gave me a lot of advice (combined with information from the McMillan Training Calculator- if you’re not using this for your training, you should start!) 

On her own, Kelly has run a 3:25 marathon- twenty minutes faster than my goal for next Sunday, so I feel as though she is running this race for me. I want to thank her, no matter what happens on May 4th.

Oh right...I mentioned my goal.

So here are my goals in the order of most awesome goal to the worst.  

If #1 doesn’t happen, then I’m hoping that #2 does.  If #2 doesn’t happen, then I’m hoping for #3, and so on and so forth.

#1. Run a 3:45

#2. Run a 3:4X – anything with a 3:4X something is just fine.

#3. Run a PR (my PR is 3:55)

#4. Don’t run worse than Kelly’s worst marathon (She has never gone over 4 hours. I can’t be her first…)

#5. Finish.

#6. Don’t die

Fingers crossed, my friends. I have had too many "bad" marathons. Its time for a good one.

There will come a time during the marathon when I have to choose how hard I am going to push myself.   How strong will I be when the going gets tough? (because yeah…it will get tough. It will get really uncomfortable...)

Will I be able to look at myself in the mirror on Sunday afternoon, and honestly answer the question, “Did I give it my all? Did I do my best?” I want to be able to say YES. I gave 100%.

Okay, okay, Jess, enough with the #sobrave  #inspirational  #motivational crap, right? 

It’s just a marathon. Millions of people run them every year. And 3:45 isn't even that impressive.

That’s right. It is JUST a race. It doesn’t represent who I am. My finish time doesn’t determine my value as a person…If I don’t achieve my goal, I will get over it. Life goes on.

Even so…that doesn’t make me want to achieve my goal any less!

P.S. There is no runner tracking at Flying Pig, so the fastest way for you to find out if I achieved my goal is for me to tell you, and I'm planning to post the results here first.  So, before I post to my personal Facebook or text anyone, or anything like that, I will post to the blog as to which of the goals was attained- 1, 2, 3, 4,5, or 6.  Be sure to check here first!

Weekly Recap: Easter and More...

Happy Easter! Did you do anything fun to celebrate? Search for eggs, or give/receive a basket?

Neither Dustin's nor my family is nearby, so we were on our own for the holiday. I did make Smitten Kitchen’s Baked Eggs with Spinach and Mushrooms…yum! We paired it with a big fruit salad mixed with peach pie filling…so good!

source

In fitness this past week, my mileage decreased by about 25% from last week, which is standard for the first week of the taper. I did squeeze in a few Pilates classes, but I focused on rest and running.

During the taper, the mileage will decrease dramatically, but the intensity should not. We still did some speed work during the taper, but just not for as long.

Monday: 8 miles with 3 miles at tempo pace. I mentioned this run in Monday’s post. It was a really good tempo workout for me- a bit of a confidence booster. It was tough, but I kept a challenging (for me) pace in the middle of the 8 miler.

Tuesday: Easy 7 mile run – my legs were sore from the previous day’s workout, so I took it nice and easy.

Wednesday: Pilates Pro class at Pilates Pro Works. I mentioned in this post that my 8 pack of classes at PPW was about to expire, so I have been going here quite a bit more than I normally would to use them up. Its a good class though, as my core was pretty sore afterwards (which is a great feeling) as well as my glutes and upper body. I am not sure if I will buy more classes at this studio or not- they are pricey, but I do really enjoy the Pilates classes and the location is super convenient to my office…However, I really want to consolidate my fitness classes, as clearly, I can’t keep track of the classes I have all over the city. I hate to see any of them go to waste! I love having a wide variety of options, but sometimes it gets to be too much to stay on top off. I think I will focus on The Barre studio this summer, with kettlebells and yoga as well, but not so many barre and Pilates studios at the same time.

*My friend Kelly told me that legally, studios can’t let your classes expire…if that’s true, then why do so many studios still have expiration dates on class packages? Any legal experts out there know the answer?

Thursday: 8 miles with 2 sets of 1600-800-800, with about 2 minutes easy jog in between. This workout felt harder, even though my paces weren’t any faster than the tempo pace on Monday! My legs probably were just tired. 

It seems like I have one really good workout in the beginning of the week, and then the second workout isn’t as strong….but maybe that's normal?

Friday: Pilates Pro class at Pilates Pro Works  I have usually been using Friday as a complete rest but I needed to squeeze in another class here, before its too close to the marathon.

Saturday: 15 mile long run. We’re tapering now.  This long run in the taper always gets me because it seems like it should feel really short since we did 22 last week! But 15 is still a long run. Next week will feel a lot shorter with only 10 miles on the schedule.

Sunday: easy 4 mile run with Matilda early in the morning, and a lovely hour long walk with Dustin and Matilda in the afternoon. We had such awesome Easter weather today in Minneapolis, so we really wanted to take advantage, so Matilda also benefits, with lots of exercise for her today!

What’s happening in Fitness Fashion?

Not exactly Fitness Fashion, but I purchased another pair of Brooks Ravennas, and I was happy to see that my favorite color scheme is still available! I feel like I might need to stock up on these, just in case they discontinue this color- it’s definitely my favorite so far. 

My previous pair had over 400 miles on them (I track this information closely!). They probably would still be okay for a few more weeks of running, but I didn't want to run Flying Pig on worn down shoes. So, I plan to wear the new pair for the Flying Pig Marathon in 14 days. Of course, I will run in them many times before the race…Even though I’ve been running in Brooks Ravennas for awhile now, I don’t want to make that rookie mistake of wearing new shoes on marathon day!

What’s happening in Fashion?

Remember that awesome necklace I purchased from Oia Jules on Etsy? 

It is definitely one of my favorites, but unfortunately, it broke on me! I was so sad.  So, I sent Oia Jules a message, and they offered to fix it for me, and pay for shipping! It only took about a week for me to get it back in tip-top shape. Yay!

What happened for YOU last week in Fitness, Fashion, and Fitness Fashion?? Try any new classes? Find any cute new fashion?

Please share!

Fitting Remarks: Tips for the Taper and Supporting My Favorite Runner

I survived my peak week of training for the Flying Pig Marathon. Now it's taper time! 

Basically, the idea is that I have done 16 hard weeks of training, and for the next three weeks, I will maintain that fitness, but let my legs recover and rebuild to feel strong on race day. Lots of people freak out a little bit in the taper, but I am trying to remember that now is the time to trust my training....

This week was my first 50 mile week this training season. When training for the Berlin marathon, I hit 60 miles during peak week, but that didn't seem to really work for me, as my performance at the Berlin marathon was not that great. So this season, I focused on resting more between workouts, rather than focusing on high mileage. Therefore, I only hit 50 miles this one time. I'm hoping that this method is the right fit for marathon success!

Here's how it went:

Monday: 7.75 easy miles in the morning, 1 hour barre class at Balanced Barre in the evening

Tuesday: 10 miles, "track" workout- 2 mile warmup, 5 miles hard with about 1 minute between each one, 2-3 mile cooldown.

Wednesday: 4 easy miles in the AM with Matilda

Thursday: 9 miles with 5 miles of hills at marathon pace with Kelly

Friday: Complete rest

Saturday: 22 miles- whew! A lot of this long run was in the pouring rain too....

Sunday: Complete rest. 

Ideally, I would have fit in some yoga today (Sunday), but I spent a bit chunk of the day being a supportive wife to my runner husband. 

Yes, I'm patting myself on the back for supporting my favorite runner on his long run.

He was traveling for work yesterday, so he missed the long run with the Calhoun Beach Running Club. Instead, he had to run his 22 miler today. He did a "capitol" run as his route. I waited at three different spots along the way with Gatorade, water, and GUs..and some encouraging words.

It was pretty relaxing for me. I just drank my coffee and read my book (I'm reading The Fault in Our Stars- really good!)

However, it was a tad more challenging for Dustin, whose back was really bothering him after sitting in conferences for the past three days...He made it though the run though, and now he can join me on the lovely taper before the marathon. He said he really appreciated my support.

Like I said, some runners go a little crazy during the taper, so I'm sharing these 12 tips for tapering that I found on "Complete Running"

1. No more long runs: Your final long run should be no less than 14 days before the marathon. If you’ve missed some of your scheduled long runs, it’s too late to make up for it now. Anything above 15 miles now will most likely hurt your performance on race day.
2. Cut back the mileage: Decrease your total weekly mileage by about 40 percent starting two weeks out. During race week, reduce your overall mileage by at least 60 percent. For example, a runner whose weekly training mileage peaked at 60 miles should run 36 miles the week before race week, and no more than 25 in race week. During the last four days before the marathon, don’t do any runs of more than three miles. If you’d rather take the last two days completely off, that’s OK too. Don’t worry about mileage during race week—you’ll get your fill on Sunday morning.
3. Maintain the intensity: Even though you are cutting back on your mileage, it’s important to maintain the intensity of these workouts. Run at close to marathon pace, so your body is accustomed to the effort level you will demand during the race.
4. Avoid the hills: Don’t run any hills during race week—it helps your legs recover more quickly. It’s just like with the mileage: you’ll get plenty of hills on race day.
5. Choose your weapons: Decide what clothes you will wear on race day. Pick comfortable shoes, socks, and running clothes that you’ve already worn on a long training run. DON’T wear anything new on marathon day, unless you want to have a graphic chafing story to tell your family about afterwards.
6. Gain a few—but not a lot: Since you are running less, pay close attention to your diet. It’s normal to gain a few pounds as your muscles stockpile the glycogen they will need during the race. But gaining more than five pounds will make you feel heavy and sluggish. Eat a bit less than usual, with well-balanced meals, and don’t start any fad diets.
   Remember, carbo loading doesn’t mean overloading. The night before the race, just eat a regular sized meal with a higher percentage of carbohydrates than usual. On race morning, eat a small portion of a bagel, banana, or oatmeal to top off your tank—but don’t load your stomach to the brim. Twenty-six miles is a long way to run with a stomach cramp.
7. Wake up early: If you’re not accustomed to running in the morning, try a couple of morning runs, so your body gets a taste of exercising at that time of day. Marathon start times are frequently at 7 a.m.—and if you’ve never run at that hour, it can be a bit of a shock. You might as well get it over with prior to race morning.
8. Eliminate extra activities: If you do any cross training activities, don’t do them during race week. Don’t do any unusual activities that might cause muscle soreness afterwards. This isn’t the time to catch up on housework or repair projects. If you have extra time on your hands, just get more rest or take a nap instead.
9. Cut your toe nails: Do it five or six days before the race. Trust me on this one.
10. Be paranoid: It’s fairly common for runners to get minor illnesses while tapering, so stay away from sick people. Wash your hands after touching anybody. 
11. Visualize success: The mental side of marathon running is extremely important. Beginning today, picture yourself running relaxed and strong, and having a great race. Repeat this scenario each day. Be confident in your ability to succeed!
12. Enjoy yourself: Yes, you should take the precautions above, but don’t get so overwhelmed with worry that you forget to enjoy the experience. Think of how far you’ve come in your training, and resolve to have a great time on race day.

Good luck during your taper runners!

Weekly Recap: Six Weeks Until Flying Pig and Free Barre Today!

Happy Sunday!

What's happening this week in fitness?
This past week was a pretty good one for running.

Monday: After we finally returned home from our botched-up flight from Turks & Caicos, I headed out for an easy Calhoun/Harriet (about 7.75 miles from my house). I didn't wear my Garmin, but let myself go as slowly as I felt like going. I was tired from the trip, and didn't want to worry about pace.

Tuesday: Kelly joined me at the Calhoun Beach Running Club for 7.75 miles, with four 1-mile repeats. We took about 3 minute breaks between each mile. It started to sleet/snow on us, and it wasn't the most pleasant evening for a run, but I hit my goal pace for those miles, and was pleased with the workout.

Wednesday: No running, just a 1 hour kettlebell class at Balance Fitness. We did old school sit-ups with a weighted ball, jump ropes, lunges, bicep curls, shoulder raises, burpees, kettlebell swings, shoulder presses, thrusters, kettlebell snatches, triceps pushdowns...I'm sure there was more, but I can't remember it all. It was a good class, with a lot of upper body work, which I liked.

Thursday: 8.5 miles in the morning with Kelly, with 5 miles at my GMP (goal marathon pace). We ended up doing most of these GMP miles at 15-20 seconds faster than my GMP, so it was definitely tougher than it should have been!

Friday: Complete rest.

Saturday: 19 mile run. I was not very happy to see that the temperature was in the single digits when we started. The "feels like" temperature was -8! I really hope that was our LAST cold run. Even though it was cold, I was pretty happy with how it felt. We had company for the first 5 miles, but then it was just Kelly and me for the last 14. We held a good pace (for me). Maybe Flying Pig won't be so bad afterall!

Sunday: In just a short while, Dustin and I will be heading to St. Paul to run the Irish Run 8k..I shared some information in this post about this race, here it is again:

The Calhoun Beach Running Club has a USATF racing team now. For each race in the circuit, only our team's top 5 fastest times for men and for women will count, so my time will never actually count towards the team. However, signing up for a USATF membership does have some other perks- discounts on races, guaranteed entry to the TC 10 mile, etc. The first race of the season is the Irish Run in St. Paul on Sunday, March 23^rd. This race has been going on since 1973. There is a 5k, 8k, and youth run.

2

This race is a little unique as it doesn’t start until the middle of the day (the 8k starts at 1:20 PM). Apparently, this late start is to allow the 50 churches on or near Summit Avenue to complete their services without traffic disruption. The late start also allows the temperature to rise to the high for the day, which could be significantly warmer than an early morning race. The race starts and finished at Ramsey Jr High School. This race attracts a lot of local elite runners, and nearly every Minnesota 8k record has been set here. 

After the 8k, I will be heading to the The Barre in Edina for a free class they are hosting with lucy activewear. 

I normally wouldn't do this much on a Sunday...in fact, they are often rest days for me, but I can't pass up a free class! I am meeting several girlfriends there, some of whom will be taking barre for the first time. Looking forward to this event! 

If you're interested, there still might be room, go HERE to sign up online.

What's happening this week in fitness fashion?

Just another reminder of the big lululemon sale next weekend- details HERE!

What's happening in fashion?

I purchased a new app called "StyleBook." Read all about it HERE. You can use it to create outfits, track what you wear, plan what to pack for vacations, and more! 

"Stylebook is designed to help you carefully curate your wardrobe so you can look effortlessly chic everyday. We want you to get the most out of what you already have in your closet and to choose new pieces that will integrate well into your wardrobe as a whole. A little organization can go a long way when it comes to getting dressed. Mixing and matching what you own, comparing new purchases to what have in your closet, planning the outfits you'll wear on vacation, and saving all your favorite style inspirations in one place will all help you develop your personal style. This was the basic idea behind the original version of Stylebook, which has now evolved to include over 90 features." 

I'm really excited to start using Stylebook. However, first I have to take pictures of all the items in my closet, which seems kind of daunting. I think I'll start building up the app by taking pictures each day as I wear something, and maybe do a bigger photo shoot when I have a full day to clean out my closet.  I'm really hoping this app will help me figure out ways to mix and match things that I already own! 

Fit Challenge: 30 Days of Planks and a Weekly Recap

By Jess in Minneapolis

I did my 90 second plank this morning after a very snowy morning run. 

Matilda and I joined two girlfriends for an easy run in a winter wonderland this morning. It would have been quite nice if not for the wind! None of the trails were plowed yet either. There were definitely some slick spots, but overall, the footing wasn't too bad.

Here's how Fitness wrapped up last week:
Lots of planking, right? 90 seconds for today. The schedule is down below again for your reference. I am starting to think 90 seconds of planking might be my max...it was tough at the end! Did you do yours?

Monday: treadmill run: 5 miles, 30/30 class at Pilates ProWorks- 30 minutes of barre, 30 minutes on the reformer
Tuesday: treadmill run: 8 miles
Wednesday: Speed workout at the downtown Y track: 6 miles with three 5-minute tempo intervals, 1 minute rest in between. The downtown Y has a track that is 10 laps to a mile. It actually wasn't so bad, and I think I'll use this option again for speed workouts during the winter.
Thursday: treadmill run: 5 miles, volunteer event at Meals for Minds <-- more on that later, great event!
Friday: 55 minute reformer class at Pilates ProWorks
Saturday: 14.5 mile long run (longer than intended, but felt pretty good, despite some slushy footing)
Sunday: Basically a rest day, except for my attempt at skate skiing- failed fit! 

I really enjoyed the reformer classes that I took at Pilates ProWorks this week. I don't have a lot of experience with reformer classes, but they reminded me a little bit of the Surfset fitness class we took a few weeks ago, where you're working your whole body at the same time. Its a little like barre, where its not big weights and big movements, but rather small moves that engage your core at all times.

I did run 5 days this week, rather than my planned 4, but I think that's okay now that I'm into training for the Flying Pig Marathon. I'm still sticking with 2 non-running days. Unfortunately, I didn't squeeze in any yoga. Hopefully this week will be better in that area.

In Fitness Fashion, Gap Fit has a lot of fun new athletic wear! Have you tried any of it? Any idea how it fits? I have been eying a lot of fun stuff online, and I am throwing a fit for a few of their bright capris.

In Fashion, I have also been throwing a fit for the killer monogrammed clutch that "Life with Emily" often carries:

source

Its $130, and probably not that functional, but I just love it! 

Find it HERE in multiple colors

And here's your plank schedule again. Let me know if you're still on track!